Category: kmiz-local-news

Jazsmin Halliburton

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Columbia man charged with first-degree murder will be in the Boone County Courthouse Monday morning in connection with a deadly shooting in 2023.

John L. Williamson III, of Columbia, will have a pre-trial conference hearing at 9 a.m. before his jury trial, which is set to begin May 20 in front of Judge Stephanie Morrell.

Williamson is charged with first-degree murder, armed criminal action and unlawful use of a weapon after he was accused of killing Azairah Brownlee, 27, of Columbia in December 2023.

She was found lying on the ground Friday night with a gunshot wound to the neck, according to a probable cause statement. Police wrote that a witness to the shooting on Typhoon Court had tried to stanch the bleeding by applying pressure with a cloth.

Officers tried to save Brownlee, but she died at the hospital, according to the Columbia Police Department.

According to the statement, a witness told police that Williamson was Brownlee’s ex-boyfriend. Williamson jumped into the bed of the truck that Brownlee and the witness were sitting in and began yelling, the statement says.

Brownlee got out and she and Williamson fell to the ground during a struggle, the witness allegedly told officers. The witness heard a gunshot, then Williamson told the witness that he had shot Brownlee dead, according to the statement.

Click here to follow the original article.

Matthew Sanders

Missouri’s Major League Baseball franchises are on hot streaks.

The St. Louis Cardinals have won eight straight games, while the Kansas City Royals are 7-3 over their last 10 contests.

The Royals have been more consistent over the season, posting a 24-18 record compared to the Cardinals’ 22-19. But the Redbirds are red hot right now.

Which city has the better team this season? Let us know by voting in the poll.

Click here to follow the original article.

Nia Hinson

CAMDEN COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Macks Creek woman was seriously injured in a two-vehicle crash in Camden County Sunday morning.

According to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a 31-year-old woman from Macks Creek was driving a 2015 Madza 3 just after 8 a.m. on Route W. The crash occurred when the Mazda crossed the center of the road and hit a 2016 Kia Soul head on.

The passenger in the Kia, a 57-year-old woman from Macks Creek was seriously injured. The driver, a 32-year-old woman from Macks Creek suffered minor injuries in the crash. Both women were taken to Lake Regional Hospital for their injuries.

The driver of the Madza was not injured in the crash.

According to the report, all three women were wearing seatbelts when the crash occurred.

Click here to follow the original article.

Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Columbia police arrested a 25-year-old Saturday evening following a crash in the 3800 block of Ponderosa Street.

According to a Sunday morning press release from CPD, Saul Diaz, 25, of Columbia was taken into custody after allegedly crossing the center line and striking another vehicle traveling in the opposite direction. Police say Diaz was intoxicated when the crash occurred.

A passenger in Diaz’s vehicle sustained serious injuries, the release says.

Diaz was arrested on multiple charges, including driving while intoxicated causing serious physical injury, operating a motor vehicle without a valid license, and lane violation. Diaz was not listed on the Boone County Jail roster Sunday night.

Former Cole County Prosecutor Bill Tackett told ABC 17 News that the legal consequences for DWI-related offenses can vary greatly depending on the severity of the incident.

“They have a suspension, all the way up to an accident where there’s an injury and it’s a Class E felony. Where there’s a serious physical injury, it’s a Class D felony. If you kill somebody, it’s a Class C, and it goes to a B for killing somebody, a law enforcement officer or a special victim.” Tackett said.

Under Missouri law, a Class D felony, such as causing serious bodily injury while intoxicated, will not exceed seven years, according to the Missouri Sentencing Advisory Commission.

Missouri State Highway Patrol spokesperson Kyle Green said the number of impaired driving crashes tends to increase during the warmer months.

“We also take a proactive approach through educating the public on the importance of always using a sober driver and that there are many options available to find a sober ride home,” Green told ABC 17 News via email Sunday.

Since Friday, Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Troop F has made at least six DWI-related arrests, according to online arrest reports. Spokesman Kyle Green said enforcement efforts will ramp up throughout the summer with both checkpoints and public education campaigns.

Tackett said the legal outcome of every DWI case is different.

“Are there prior (offenses)? What’s the extent of the injury? Who was injured? There are many enhancement factors that determine the outcome of a DWI case,” Tackett said.

Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that 12,429 people were killed in drunk driving crashes across the U.S. in 2023, averaging one death every 42 minutes.

According to Save Missouri Lives, 983 fatalities in the state between 2019 and 2023 involved a substance-impaired driver. Of those drivers, 740 were men and 165 were women.

Click here to follow the original article.

Nia Hinson

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Four people are without a home after a fire broke out early Sunday morning in Jefferson City.

According to a press release from the Jefferson City Fire Department, firefighters were called to the 1000 Block of West McCarty Street just after 1 a.m. Crews found heavy smoke coming from the first floor and basement.

Firefighters also found heavy fire showing from a vehicle in the basement garage, according to the release. All people were outside of the home.

The fire was put out, but left behind heavy smoke damage on all levels of the home.

No injuries were reported.

The vehicle is considered a total loss, according to the release. Two adults, two children and three pets were displaced by the fire. The individuals are being assisted by the Red Cross.

The fire cause and origin of the vehicle was undetermined, the release says.

Click here to follow the original article.

Marie Moyer

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Missouri Department of Social Services has been ordered a second time to improve the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program after receiving complaints of difficulties in booking appointments.

SNAP is a government assistance program that helps low-income families afford groceries.

Court documents reported that around 48% of SNAP applications were rejected after applicants were unable to complete an interview for the program.

The process of getting an interview required interviewees to contact the department by phone. Court documents found that the average wait time for callers was over an hour. The highest reported wait time was over six hours. There were also over 50,000 calls deflected to other channels and over 12,000 calls were disconnected around the 30-minute mark.

Similar complaints were stated in the last lawsuit, filed May 2024. U.S. District Judge Douglas Harpool ordered the department to submit a report of planned changes over the next 30 days, give monthly updates on applications and submit a detailed timeline of plans for the next 90 days.

In the new lawsuit, filed May 2025, Harpool ordered for tighter benchmarks for the department, including reducing the wait time to 20 minutes for 90% of callers and reducing the percentage of SNAP applications that were rejected due to interviews to no more than 20%.

“The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program has failed, and continues to fail, to administer the program so as to provide ‘timely, accurate and fair service to applicants and participants’ as required by federal law,” Harpool said in court documents.

Harpool also ordered immediate changes be made in the next 60 days like adding a new menu option for callers to request a paper application instead of asking an operator. Harpool also said applicants who made an effort to apply—such as by calling multiple times, being on hold for a period of time, or having a scheduled appointment—cannot be denied.

The department has six months to show substantial progress or the court will consider more extensive changes.

ABC 17 News reached out to the Department of Social Services for comment, but did not hear back.

Click here to follow the original article.

Nia Hinson

MORGAN COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A man and woman from Stover were seriously injured in a crash in Morgan County Saturday night.

According to a crash report from the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a 33-year-old man from Stover was driving a 2017 Ford Explorer on Route T, South of Campell Drive just after 7 p.m. The vehicle crossed the center of the road– went off the right side– and hit a Chevron sign and tree.

A 20-year-old Stover woman and 33-year-old Stover man who were in the vehicle at the time were seriously injured in the crash. The report says they were taken to Lake Regional Hospital for their injuries.

The driver suffered moderate injuries and was also hospitalized.

According to the report, all three people were wearing seatbelts when the crash occurred.

Click here to follow the original article.

Nia Hinson

GASCONADE COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A Bison, Oklahoma man was injured after trying to avoid a deer on his motorcycle in Gasconade County Saturday night.

A Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report says it happened around 8:15 p.m, on Route Z, west of Horstmann Road. The 48-year-old man was riding a 2024 Harley Davidson Street Glide when a deer walked onto the road.

The man tried to avoid crashing into the deer by braking and steering around it, the crash report says.

His motorcycle then went off the right side of the road and flipped over, throwing the man from the bike.

He was taken to Mercy Hospital with serious injuries.

The report says he was not wearing a helmet when the crash occurred.

Click here to follow the original article.

Nia Hinson

CALLAWAY COUNTY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A St. Ann woman was seriously injured after her minivan crashed Saturday afternoon.

According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol crash report, the 42-year-old woman was driving a 2009 Toyota Sienna on Interstate 70 at the 144.2 mile marker just after 2 p.m. The crash occurred when the vehicle went off the right side of the road and hit a guardrail.

The woman was taken to University Hospital with serious injuries.

The report states she was not wearing a seatbelt when the crash occurred.

Click here to follow the original article.

Euphenie Andre

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Four men are behind bars following a violent and busy week for the Columbia Police Department, which included two standoffs and a shooting.

On Saturday, Columbia Police said 18-year-old Kieran Piersee was arrested in connection with a Friday night shooting on Moss Street in central Columbia.

According to a press release from police, Piersee allegedly shot a 32-year-old man in the leg in the 900 block of Moss Street. Police say the man’s injuries were non-life-threatening.

Piersee was arrested on charges of first-degree assault, armed criminal action, and unlawful use of a weapon. He is currently being held in the Boone County Jail without bond.

Just one day earlier Ramelus Bradel, 19, was charged in Boone County following an alleged domestic incident that led to a heavy police presence at the Forest Village Apartments on Thursday.

According to police, the altercation involved a woman. Bradely is charged with unlawful use of a weapon, third-degree domestic assault, and misdemeanor fourth-degree domestic assault. He is also being held in the Boone County Jail without bond.

The string of crime began Wednesday with a standoff in northeast Columbia. Police arrested 36-year-old Antonio Watson and 38-year-old Rodney L. Hayes II after an hours-long standoff. According to law enforcement, the two men had three felony warrants between them, issued from three different counties.

Watson reportedly failed to register as a sex offender in Randolph County in 2023. Hayes is being held on two no-bond warrants for drug possession, one out of Boone County and another out of Callaway County. He remains in the Boone County Jail without bond.

Watson was not listed on the Boone County Jail roster as of Saturday night. As of Saturday, online court records show that Watson and Hayes had not yet been formally charged in relation to the standoff.

According to online court records, no court hearings have been scheduled yet for Piersee, Bradely, or Hayes.

Click here to follow the original article.